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Football League play-offs
Season1996–97
ChampionsCrystal Palace
(First Division)
Crewe Alexandra
(Second Division)
Northampton Town
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored38 (2.53 per match)
Biggest home winSwansea 3–0 Chester
(Third Division)
Biggest away winBristol City 1–2 Brentford
(Second Division)
Highest scoringNorthampton 3–2 Cardiff
(5 goals)
Highest attendance64,383 – Crystal Palace v Sheffield United
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance5,104 – Chester v Swansea
(Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance21,403
← 1996
1998 →

The Football League play-offs for the 1996–97 season were held in May 1997, with the finals taking place at the old Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League First Division and Football League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the Football League Third Division table. The winners of the semi-finals will go through to the finals, with the winner of the matches gaining promotion for the following season.

First Division[edit]

Main article: 1996–97 Football League First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Wolverhampton Wanderers462210146851+1776
4Ipswich Town462014126850+1874
5Sheffield United462013137552+2373
6Crystal Palace461914137848+3071

Semi-finals[edit]

First leg
Crystal Palace3–1Wolverhampton Wanderers
Shipperley Goal 68'
Freedman Goal 89', 90'		Smith Goal 90'
Attendance: 21,053
Referee: Neale Barry
Sheffield United1–1Ipswich Town
Fjørtoft Goal 41'Stockwell Goal 78'
Bramall Lane, Sheffield
Attendance: 22,312
Referee: Roy Pearson
Second leg
Ipswich Town2–2 (a.e.t.)Sheffield United
Scowcroft Goal 32'
Gudmundsson Goal 73'		Kachura Goal 9'
Walker Goal 77'
Portman Road, Ipswich
Attendance: 21,467
Referee: Terry Heilbron

Ipswich Town 3–3 Sheffield United on aggregate. Sheffield United won on away goals.

Wolverhampton Wanderers2–1Crystal Palace
Atkins Goal 30'
Williams Goal 85'		Hopkin Goal 66'
Molineux, Wolverhampton
Attendance: 26,403
Referee: Clive Wilkes

Crystal Palace won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final[edit]

Main article: 1997 Football League First Division play-off Final
Crystal Palace1–0Sheffield United
Hopkin Goal 90'
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 64,383
Referee: Neale Barry

Second Division[edit]

Main article: 1996–97 Football League Second Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Luton Town462115105941+1878
4Brentford462014125643+1374
5Bristol City462110156951+1873
6Crewe Alexandra4622071756470+973

Semi-finals[edit]

First leg
Bristol City1–2Brentford
Owers Goal 28'Smith Goal 13'
Taylor Goal 30'
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Attendance: 15,581
Crewe Alexandra2–1Luton Town
Rivers Goal 53'
Little Goal 68'		Oldfield Goal 3'
Gresty Road, Crewe
Attendance: 5,467
Second leg
Brentford2–1Bristol City
Taylor Goal 67'
Bent Goal 79'		Barnard Goal 49'
Griffin Park, London
Attendance: 9,496
Referee: John Kirkby

Brentford won 4–2 on aggregate.

Luton Town2–2Crewe Alexandra
Oldfield Goal 20', 31'Little Goal 32'
Smith Goal 62'
Kenilworth Road, Luton
Attendance: 8,168
Referee: Roy Pearson

Crewe Alexandra won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final[edit]

Main article: 1997 Football League Second Division play-off Final
Brentford0–1Crewe Alexandra
Smith Goal 34'
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 34,149
Referee: Uriah Rennie

Third Division[edit]

Main article: 1996–97 Football League Third Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Northampton Town462012146744+2372
5Swansea City462181762580+471
6Chester City461816125543+1270
7Cardiff City462091756540+269

Semi-finals[edit]

First leg
Cardiff City0–1Northampton Town
Parrish Goal 77'
Ninian Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 11,369
Chester City0–0Swansea City
Deva Stadium, Chester
Attendance: 5,104
Second leg
Swansea City3–0Chester City
Thomas Goal 39'
Torpey Goal 43'
Heggs Goal 64'
Vetch Field, Swansea
Attendance: 10,027

Swansea City won 3–0 on aggregate.

Northampton Town3–2Cardiff City
Sampson Goal 23'
Warburton Goal 68'
Gayle Goal 77'		Fowler Goal 36'
Haworth Goal 90'
Sixfields, Northampton
Attendance: 7,302

Northampton Town won 4–2 on aggregate.

Final[edit]

Main article: 1997 Football League Third Division play-off Final
Northampton Town1–0Swansea City
Frain Goal 90'
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 46,804
Referee: Terry Heilbron

External links[edit]

  • Football League website